Accommodations at the camps are open to all, AMC members and non-members alike. The 127-year-old conservation and recreation organization, with an active chapter and 3300 members in Maine, purchased the wilderness camps in June from Bob and Arlene LeRoy, who have managed the Moosehead-region camps for six years. Bob LeRoy is staying on as manager of the camps.

"We're very pleased that AMC is the new owner and will continue to foster the same care and appreciation for this special place, said LeRoy.

The camps, opened in 1874, border on the West Branch of the Pleasant River and the property includes 300 acres surrounding the two Little Lyford Ponds. The camps are a short walk from Gulf Hagas and the Appalachian Trail's famed 100-Mile Wilderness. They are located approximately 20 miles east of Greenville and 40 miles northwest of Brownville.

The camps are well-known for providing the best in backcountry recreation experiences, a tradition the AMC will uphold, according to AMC Deputy Director Walter Graff. "We will continue to focus on providing accommodations and opportunities for backcountry skiing, snowshoe-ing, hiking, fishing, and paddling," Graff said. "Our emphasis will be on non-motorized activities and on providing learning opportunities for the public, to help ensure the continued stewardship of this unique part of Maine. This is truly a magical place, where guests will want to stay for more than just a few days," Graff said.

Little Lyford Pond Camps are located 17 miles from Greenville, over gravel logging roads. The location offers backcountry skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, paddling, and fly-fishing. A network of trails for cross-country skiing and hiking link to the Appalachian Trail and Gulf Hagas. Nearby mountains offer expansive views of Katahdin and the surrounding wilderness region.

The camps consist of eight rustic cabins that can accommodate from two to six people. They include porches and woodstoves, and gas and kerosene lamps. Breakfast and dinner are served in the central lodge, which includes a dining room, activities center, library, and screened-in porch. Trail lunches are provided as well. Hot showers are available in summer, and a cedar sauna operates in winter.

Access to the camps is via cross-country skis in winter. Optional snowmobile transport is available. This winter, a cross-country skiing and dog-sledding adventure will be among the recreational opportunities for Little Lyford guests, who can try their hand at mushing and skiing. Also on the winter schedule are guided ski and snowshoe trips.

The camps are a favorite spot for anglers, and fishing is a popular activity in late spring and summer. Fly-fishing instruction is available for guests.

The winter season will run from Dec. 15 to March 31. The camps will close for early spring and will reopen for the season from May 13, 2004 through Oct. 31, 2004.

"When we learned the LeRoys were looking for new owners for the camps, we saw it as a rare opportunity to continue the tradition of providing quiet recreational opportunities while protecting this special place for generations to come," explained Graff. "The camps are an ideal place to continue our commitment to outdoor recreation, education, and backcountry stewardship for the benefit of the public."

"We're excited to operate Little Lyford Pond Camps, and we're eager to work with community and business leaders to help ensure outdoor recreation continues to play a key role in the local economy," Graff said.

"Wilderness camps are a threatened resource in Maine, and we are honored to be able to keep the camps operating to serve the public and to support the local economy," said AMC Regional Conservation Director Gabrielle Kissinger. "We look forward to continuing our work with the communities of the region and such organizations as Friends of Moosehead and Greenville's Natural Resources Education Center (NREC)."

Greenville Town Manager John Simko added, "Our community looks forward to a long and productive relationship with the AMC, which has an excellent reputation for connecting people with the outdoors through its successful operation of backcountry facilities."

The AMC has a long history of operating recreational facilities in Maine. The organization operates Echo Lake Camp on Mt. Desert Island, as well as Beal Island and Knubble Bay camps in Georgetown. Founded in 1876, the AMC is the oldest conservation and recreation organization in the United States. The nonprofit AMC promotes the protection, enjoyment, and wise use of the mountains, rivers, and trails of the Appalachian region. The AMC supports natural resource conservation while encouraging responsible recreation, based on the philosophy that successful, long-term conservation depends upon first-hand enjoyment of the natural environment.

More information on Little Lyford Pond Camps is available at www.outdoors.org/lodging/lyford. Reservations can be made by calling (603) 466-2727.
"This content originally appeared as a copyrighted article in the Moosehead Messenger and is used here with permission."